Toy hand grenade



Aug. 4', 1959 H. HOROWITZ ETAL TOY HAND GRENADE Filed April 29, 1958United States Patent 2,897,630 v TOY HAND GRENADE Harry Horowitz andAbraham Schneiderman,

, New York, N.Y. Application April 29, 1958, Serial No. 731,810 4Claims. (Cl. 46-496) This invention relates generally to the toy art,and more particularly to a toy hand grenade adapted to simulate grenadesin current use by the armed forces of this country.

Actual grenades are designed to incorporate a time fuse which is ignitedby percussion cap in turn detonated by a resiliently biased hammer whichis released at the time the grenade is thrown. Until such time as thegrenade leaves the hand of the thrower, it is held in cocked conditionby manual pressure upon a handle which is pressed against the side ofthe grenade body. When the grenade leaves the hand of the wearer, thehammer pushes aside the handle which is loosely pivoted at one endthereof to permit the hammer to strike the percussion cap which in turnignites the fuse. After a delay of approximately five seconds, the timefuse has burned through to detonate the charge disposed within the bodyof the grenade.

The five second period during which time the grenade is usually inflight will normally expire at the time the grenade reaches the ground,so that it will explode before there is an opportunity to throw thegrenade back. To have value as a realistic toy, it is desirable that thesame simulates the action and operation of an actual grenade.

It is therefore among the principal objects of the present invention toprovide a toy grenade simulating both in appearance and operation aconventional grenade of the type in present use by the armed forces.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of toy grenadeconstruction ha ing means for exploding a conventional toy paper capeither upon leaving the hand of thethrower, or upon contact with theground after the same has been thrown.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a toy grenadeof the class described which may be readily reloaded for use many times,thereby materially increasing its value as a toy.

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision of toyconstruction of the class, described in which the cost of fabricationmay be of a reasonably low order, with consequent wide sale,distribution and use.

A fwture of the invention lies in the fact that many of the parts may bemolded of soft unbreakable synthetic resinous material such aspolyethylene, polystyrene and the like.

Another feature of the invention lies in the fact that all of themetallic parts may be formed as simple metallic stampings.

Still another feature of the invention lies in the provision of shockabsorbing means incorporated in the construction of the device whichprevents damage to the firing mechanism upon striking a hard surface.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental ends andadvantages, will more fully appear inthe disclosure and be pointed outin the appended claims.

On the drawings, to which reference will be made in the specification,similar reference characters have been employed to designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical central, sectional view as seen from the plane 22on Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the embodiment showing the safety pinremoved.

Figure-4 is a fragmentary rear elevationalview as seen from the plane4-4 on Figure 1'.

Figure 5 is a view in elevation showing one manner of arming theembodiment prior to the throwing thereof.

Figure 6 is a view in elevation showing an alternate method of firingthe embodiment.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan view with the handle element removedimmediately before firing.

Figure 8 is a similar view after the completion of firing.

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally indicated byreference character 10, comprises broadly: a main body element 11, a capfiring element 12 a handle element 13 and a handle support element 14.

The main body element 11 is preferably molded from suitable syntheticresinous material so as to be relatively light in weight and resistantto breakage. Polyethylene has been found suitable for this purpose. Theelement 11 includes asimulated charge retaining member 16, a neck member17, and a cap firing element mounting member 18. The above members aremolded integrally, and the mounting member 18 includes an upper planarsurface 19, as well as side planar surfaces 20 and 21 which form a seatfor the capfiring element 12.

The cap firing element 12 includes a mounting member 24 having acentral, generally planar portion 25, a first pair of trunnions 26, asecond pair of trunions 27, a first pair of gripping members 28, asecond pair of gripping members 29 and a latch engaging lip 30. Ininstalled condition, the central portion 25 is adapted to lie upon theupper planar surface 19, the gripping members 28 and 29 being bent toengage small recesses 31 in the side planar surfaces 20 and 21. Aspreadable rivet 33 forms a'shaft between the first pair of trunnionmembers 26, while a similar spreadable rivet 34 forms a shaft for thesecond pair of trunnion members 27. Mounted upon the shaft 34 is ahammer member 35' which is normally urged in a counterclockwisedirection as seen in Figure 1 by the action of a spring 36, a first end37 of which bears upon the central portion 25', and a second end 38 ofwhich engages the hammer member. It 'will be observed that each of thetrunnion members 27 is provided with an elongated cutout portion 39which coperates with bent up points 40 to hold a conventional paperpercussion cap: in position beneath the hammer member 35. The cap,indicated by reference character 41, is pierced by the points 40 so thatslippage of the same during the throwing of the device does not occur.

The handle element, 13 is also preferably molded from suitable syntheticresinous material, polyethylene being particularly suitable. The overallconfiguration of the same resembles that of an actual grenade, andincludes a reetilinearmember 49 as well as a curved member 50 upon whichthere, is disposed an integrally molded latch memher 51.

The rectilinear member 49 includes a free end 53 which in the. positionshown. in Figure 1 of the drawing partially overliesthe handle supportelement 14 which is formed of metal to shield the same from directimpact. The second end 54 interconnects with the first end 56. of thecurved member 50, the second end 57 of the. curved member 50 beingpositioned to lie. adjacent the lower end of the charge retaining member16. A first boreSS-is disposed as best seen in Figure 2. onv thedrawing, the same being engageable. with a removable safety pin 59, anda second bore 60 provides an axis for pivotal rotation with. respect tovthe handle support element 14.

The. handle support element, 14 is preferably formed as a. metallic,stamping, and includes a first pair of trunnion members '62. disposed ata first end thereof and a second pair of trunnion members. 63, disposedat a second, end

thereof. The first pair of trunnion members 62. are. provided. withbores64 engageable on the. shaft 33, while the a a second members 63 aredisposed at an angle to support the handle element 13 thereon. Anexpandable rivet 65 forms a shaft projecting through the bores 65' andthe .bore 60. A second set of .bores 66 align with the bore 58 the capupon striking the ground or other hard surface. 7

Referring to Figures 2' and 5, after withdrawing the pin 59, the handleelement 13 may be pressed toward the charge retaining member 16. Thiscauses the same to pivot about the shaft 65 whereby the end of the latchmember 51 will clear the lip 30. If the device'is thrown in thiscondition, as soon as the same leaves the hand of the wearer, there willbe no means for maintaining the handle support element 14 on top of thehammer member 35 so that it will fly out in a realistic manner as thehammer member rotates clockwise as seen in Figure 1 to detonate the cap41. (See Figures 7 and 8.)

In the alternative, the device may be thrown after removing the pinwithout pressing the handle element 13, in which case, as seen in Figure6 the impact of striking the ground or other hard surface will cause thelatch member 51 to be'dislodged with the same result. I

To reload the device, it is necessary only to bend back the hammermember 35 to a point where the same may be secured by the handle supportelement, following which the pin 59 is reinserted. Another cap 41 maybepositioned upon the points 40 following which the device is again readyfor use.

It may thus be seen that we have invented novel and highly usefulimprovements in toy grenade devices in which there has been provided aharmless realistic replica of an actual grenade as currently used bythe. armed forces of this country. The device is reusable, and owing tothe extensive use of synthetic resinous parts, the same is practicallyindestructible with continued hard usage. As many of the parts may bemade by injection molding or by means of metallic stamping, the cost offabrication may be of a very low order, and no skill or danger isinvolved in the reloading of the device which may be locked prior to theinsertion of the paper cap.

We wish it to be understood that we do not consider the inventionlimited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in thisspecification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled inthe art to which the invention relates.

We claim: I

1. A cap firing mechanism for use with a toy grenade comprising: agenerally planar member having first and second ends, a first pivotalmounting means disposed on said planar member substantially at saidfirst end, a second pivotal mounting means disposed on said planarmember between said first and second ends, said second pivotal mountingmeans including means for supporting a paper cap upon said planarmember, a hammer member pivotally supported by said second pivotalmounting means, and resilient means for urging said hammer member in adirection toward said cap supporting means to detonate a cap supportedthereby; means connected to said first pivotal mounting means forholding said hammer means against the action of said resilient means ina non-detonatlng position, said last mentioned means including a secondgenerally planar member having first and second ends, said first endbeing connected to said first pivotal mounting means, said second endhaving latching means selectively engageable with said second end ofsaid first planar member.

2. A cap firing mechanism for use with a toy grenade comprising: agenerally planar member having first and second ends, a first pivotalmounting means disposed on said planar member substantially at saidfirst end, a second pivotal mounting means disposed on said planarmember between said first and second ends, said second pivotal mountingmeans including means for supporting a paper cap upon said planarmember, a hammer member pivo-tally supported by. said' second pivotalmounting means, and resilient means for urging said hammer member in adirection toward said cap supporting means to detonate a cap supportedthereby; means connected to said first pivotal mounting means forholding said hammer means against the action of said resilient means ina non-detonating position, and said last mentioned means including asecond generally planar member having first and second ends, said firstend being connected to said first pivotal mounting means, said secondend having third pivotal mounting means thereon, and latching meansmounted upon said third pivotal mounting means selectively engageablewtih said second end of said first planar member.

3. A cap firing mechanism for use with a toy grenade comprising: agenerally planar member having first and second ends, a first pivotalmounting means disposed on said planar member substantially at saidfirst end, a secondpivotal mounting means disposed on said planar memberbetween said first and second ends, said second pivotal mounting meansincluding means for supporting a paper cap upon said planar member,ahammer member pivotally supported by said second pivotal mountingmeans, and resilient means for urging said hammer member in a directiontoward said cap supporting means to detonate a cap supported thereby;means connected to said first pivotal mounting means for holding saidhamrner means against the. action of said resilient means in anon-detonating position, and said last mentioned means including asecond generally planar member :having first and second ends, said firstend being connected to said first pivotal mounting means, said secondend having third pivotal mounting means thereon, and latching meansmounted upon said third pivotal mounting means selectively engageablewith said second end of said first planar member, said latching meansincluding a handle element, a portion of which overlies said secondplanar member.

4. A cap firing mechanism for use with a toy grenade comprising: agenerally planar member having first and second ends, a first pivotalmounting means disposed on said planar member substantially at saidfirst end, a second pivotal mounting means disposed on said planarmember between said first and second ends, said second pivotal mountingmeans including means for supporting a paper cap upon said planarmember, a hammer member pivotally supported by said second pivotal.mounting means, and resilient means for urging said hammer memher in adirection tow-and said cap supporting means to detonate a cap supportedthereby; means connected to said first pivotal mounting means forholding said hammer means against the action of said resilient means ina non-detonating position, said last mentioned means including a secondgenerally planar member having first and second ends, said first endbeing connected to said first pivotal mounting means, said second endhaving third pivotal mounting means thereon, and latching means mountedupon said third pivotal mounting means selectively engageable with saidsecond end of said firs-t planar member, said latching means including ahandle element, a portion of which overlies said second planar member,said handle element being formed of flexible material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS387,574 Armstrong Aug. 7, 1888 1,017,683 Meis Feb. 20, 1912 1,367,391Hofer Feb. 1, 1921 2,367,027 Jackman Jan. 9, 1945

